


the wide world over

by nelfes



Category: Tales of Legendia
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-05-30 00:28:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15085073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nelfes/pseuds/nelfes
Summary: Across oceans, over mountains, despite it all - isn't it a miracle we found each other?





	the wide world over

**Author's Note:**

> For Seine. (I'll stop flooding the Legendia ao3 tag only when someone steps up to challenge me, winks).

“The grocery list for next week is on the fridge, remember,” Senel said. Shirley half-nodded as she calculated the square root for her practice quiz and wrote down the set of steps needed for the next question. When she looked up from the calculator app on her phone Senel was still staring at her from his place at the sink. She let out a sigh of resignation and took out both her ear buds.

“The recipes we went over together are in a folder by the bread box. I wanted to keep it separate from your study materials so…”

Her worrywart as-good-as-step-brother was actually wringing his hands with the dish towel now.

“Thank you,” she said slowly, giving him her full attention this time. When this did not seem to be enough of a response judging by Senel’s continued assault on the poor piece of cloth still in his hands she stood and crossed over to the refrigerator.

“I have it on my phone too,” she said as she tapped the shopping list. “And the emergency numbers are here – color coded, I know. I made another copy to keep on my nightstand.”

Senel finally looked somewhat less nauseated at that. Really, Shirley thought – he’d just been getting worse and worse as the date of the departure neared. She really hoped he wasn’t going to collapse at the airport before even getting to see Stella.

“Good,” he breathed. Senel had put the towel down but still wasn’t looking at Shirley and it signaled trouble even before he said –

“I, uh, asked Will to check in on you. Chloe should be stopping by too.”

“Senel!”

Shirley’s hands went to her waist and she stood as tall as her one hundred and fifty four centimeters would let her. Senel backed up into the sink as she leaned in, frowning. It was probably just the effort it took for him to not stoop and still meet her eye but Senel at least looked _slightly_ chagrined, she thought. 

In all honesty Shirley had expected him to call Will. Really, even if he hadn’t, she was sure their neighbor would have visited after work and having come home with Harriet once he found out Shirley would be in the apartment alone for a month. But Chloe?

“You know she has college visits this summer! Her sports scholarship relies on her making those meets too, Senel. I can’t believe you-“

“I know, I know! She asked if she could do anything and I just…”

Senel’s voice wavered and Shirley suddenly felt awful. This wasn’t just another of their usual squabbles anymore. As overbearing as he seemed, her brother had just been looking out for her.

She’d forgotten that Senel hadn’t experienced family the way she and Stella have. She’d spent her whole life with her sister. But Senel? He had just been a scared and foul mouthed army brat when they took him in.

It felt odd to realize that was only six years ago. Three since they had all moved to Tokyo. Two since Stella had gone abroad.

Of course, he would worry.

She slid her hand into his and squeezed. Senel returned the gesture and somehow they both managed to fumble their way back to the table after that. They sat in an awkward silence. Senel’s mouth opened then closed. Shirley swallowed.

“I’m sorry.”

They had both said it at the same time. Shirley couldn’t help but laugh at that and Senel managed to crack a smile in response.

“It will be okay,” Shirley said, speaking her hope aloud. Senel bit his lip.

“Yeah… I guess I just wanted to make sure of it, you know?”

“I know,” Shirley said, still smiling. When she had just started middle school he had been like this too. Even though it was for his and Stella’s future that they had relocated to the city Senel seemed to have been much more focused on rooting out any possible bullies on her first day rather than focusing on his entrance exams.

Stella had always been their unifying force and it was no different back then. She had taken turns walking Shirley to school with Senel and if he hadn’t finished his work by the time she was back at the apartment, well… Shirley still remembered coming home to a bright and cheery Stella who pointedly ignored Senel until it was time for dinner. It was then they would always make up.

She loved them both, so much. But she was not a child any longer. She could take care of herself.

“I appreciate your taking care of everything while I’ve studied Senel, but I’ll be fine on my own. My dinners for the last few days have been good, you know? And I’ll have more time to cook and set a schedule after cram school wraps up.”

“…You’ll message me every time you get home?”

“I always do,” Shirley rolled her eyes. “It’s not like you aren’t going to have access to LINE in Europe. Besides the girls from my study group are still getting together so it’s not as if I’ll be walking home alone.”

Senel nodded. He had become a different sort of quiet this time. It was funny – Shirley thought, Stella had always been best at gauging Senel’s moods but living with him these past few years had taught Shirley some things too.

He seemed almost… guilty?

“I’m happy you’re going,” she urged and sure enough he looked so vulnerable as he took in those words.

“I just… are you sure you have to stay? You know Stella and I don’t mind waiting a few weeks ‘til Cram School wraps up.”

Shirley shook her head.

“I want to do everything I can to get into my school of choice. It feels like… one of the first big decisions I’ve made on my own and I want to see it through to the end, good or bad.”

Senel leaned back in his chair and considered this. “First decision, huh?”

“I think so,” Shirley admitted. “Stella always helped me with this kind of thing back home and then there was you, and the both of you –“

Senel finally, _really_ , smiled at that.

“And I just… I’m very grateful, but I think now it’s time for me to walk on my own two feet. Besides, I know how you and Stella have been pouring over those travel logs. I expect lots of photos!”

“Okay,” Senel said slowly. “Okay. I just wanted check if you were sure. I didn’t want to force…”

He looked at her, the picture of patience, and laughed.

“You are sure, then?”

“Yes.”

It was as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Senel nodded at that, sat up straighter and said,

“Well then, I trust you.”

Shirley realized in that moment a weight had been lifted from her too.

* * *

Narita International Airport was every bit as overwhelming as it had been two years ago when they had seen Stella off to England. The difference this time, however, was all three of them shared the same excitement – even if it was just for an hour or two, they would all be together again.

Stella had been too busy the past day to message them like usual but that didn’t matter at all compared to the fact Shirley would soon be holding her sister after the first time in what felt like forever.

As she and Senel raced hand and hand to the arrival lobby she knew he felt the same way.

They careened to a halt by the currency exchange station as Senel belatedly remembered to take out their “welcome back” sign. Shirley checked her phone as he did so.

“No messages,” she noted, scrolling through their group chat to make sure. “But we’re on time. I’m just worried we won’t be able to grab lunch before you two-“

Suddenly, the only thing in her vision was a blur of gold and Shirley watched as Senel dropped his sign, as if in slow motion, before they all toppled to the ground, a giggling Stella on top of them.

“Shirley,” she beamed, one arm around Senel and her other cupping her younger sister’s face. “You’ve grown so much!”

Shirley couldn’t help it – her voice broke as she leaned into the touch. “Onee-chan…”

“We are lying on the airport floor!”

Stella just laughed heartily as she pulled herself and a still-dazed Senel into a sitting position. Shirley stood, brushed off her skirts, and tried not to look at the people now staring at them.

“I couldn’t help it,” Stella said, sounding just as Shirley had remembered her. “I saw you two and, well, you were wide open!”

“Seriously,” Senel said in a futile if admirable attempt to not look as starstruck as he had a moment ago. “How on earth did you get into Oxford?”

Stella took the hand he offered her, stood, and curtsied in jest.

“I was and am the picture of a perfect lady. I just missed you two so much I couldn’t help it!”

Shirley teared up at that, but quickly wiped away the evidence as her brother and sister hurried to her side.

“C-come on, stop hovering,” Shirley admonished them. “We don’t have much time until your next flight.”

Senel’s face fell at that but Stella just propped herself up on her suitcase and hummed.

“Really? I would say the twelve months between this January and next gives us enough wiggle room for lunch, at least.”

Shirley gave up on trying to fix her face and just stared at Stella. 

“I exchanged our tickets,” Stella told Senel and he nodded as if… had they planned this? Shirley was nearly ready to start in our her brother again (twice in twenty-four hours marked a new record) when Stella took her hand. Shirley stilled.

“Senel told me about your decision, Shirley,” she said, enveloping the younger girl in a hug. Shirley glared at Senel over Stella’s shoulder. He put up his hands. That traitor.

“I’m so proud of you,” Stella said and let her go once more but still held on to her hand. “I want to support you in any way I can.”

“Stella, you’ve always-“

“Let me do this,” her sister said. “Let me spend my Christmas break watching you take those steps, please?”

Shirley blinked. Stella let go of her hand and reached over to her suitcase. The charm for safe travels they had all bought at a nearby shrine was still hanging on it. Stella, gently, reverently, took it off and placed it in Shirley’s hands.

“You’ve been watching over me, praying for me, while I was away right? Let me do the same for you, Shirley. Senel and I, Senel and _us_ , can go visit Europe any time. There’s only one chance I’ll get to see my little sister enter high school.”

Shirley looked down at the worn charm in her hand then back at up at Stella and Senel who had come to stand beside her and let herself cry.

“I missed you so much!”

This time it was Shirley jumping into Stella’s arms and as she felt her sister tighten the embrace, Senel’s arms encircling her back, she knew it would be alright.

She had worried without them she would be nothing. She had worried even more that if they had stayed she would never have the chance to move forward. But if they were willing to see her off and let her walk that road without her hand in theirs –

If they were willing to greet her at the finish line with “congrats” or just “you did your best” –

Then, she knew there was nothing else she could ever need.

**Author's Note:**

> Let's keep finding each other. ♥


End file.
